Will accidental max volume damage a speaker?


I think I’m okay but I would still like some reassurance. My preamp has an option to use one RCA input as a pass through that bypasses the volume control. In other words whatever volume goes in, goes out. Weeks ago I set it up that way to test a different component and I forgot to set it back when I unhooked that component. So today I hooked a dac to it using the dac’s fixed outputs, so I assume line level. So when I started a song it was loud, really loud for about four seconds. Probably not as loud as if I maxed out the volume intentionally, although I’ve never done that so I can’t be sure how loud that would be. Just wondering if speakers have a safety mechanism designed in where the drivers can’t over travel and cause damage. My speakers are Usher Audio dancer mini-x DMD. They still sound perfect to me but I’ve always wondered about this question anyway so it motivated me to ask. I've probably just watched too many comedy movies where teenagers literally explode their speakers like there was a grenade in them
milkdudd

Showing 2 responses by russ69

"...I guess the question would be how loud is a direct line level input compared to a normal condition of maxing out the volume dial..."

That signal is the max voltage your preamp produces. WIDE FULL OPEN! 
"...Am I correct that a balanced output (if it had it) would have been much worse?..."

no. You were WFO. There is no such thing as WFO plus a bit more, you were maxed out.